---
title: OS Information
description: Read information about the operating system.
plugin: os
---

import PluginLinks from '@components/PluginLinks.astro';
import Compatibility from '@components/plugins/Compatibility.astro';

import { Tabs, TabItem, Steps } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';
import CommandTabs from '@components/CommandTabs.astro';
import PluginPermissions from '@components/PluginPermissions.astro';

<PluginLinks plugin={frontmatter.plugin} />

Read information about the operating system using the OS Information plugin.

## Supported Platforms

<Compatibility plugin={frontmatter.plugin} />

## Setup

Install the OS Information plugin to get started.

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Automatic">

    Use your project's package manager to add the dependency:

    <CommandTabs npm="npm run tauri add os"
          yarn="yarn run tauri add os"
          pnpm="pnpm tauri add os"
          bun="bun tauri add os"
          cargo="cargo tauri add os" />

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Manual">
    <Steps>

    1. Run the following command in the `src-tauri` folder to add the plugin to the project's dependencies in `Cargo.toml`:

        ```sh frame=none
        cargo add tauri-plugin-os
        ```

    2.  Modify `lib.rs` to initialize the plugin:

        ```rust title="src-tauri/src/lib.rs" ins={4}
        #[cfg_attr(mobile, tauri::mobile_entry_point)]
        pub fn run() {
            tauri::Builder::default()
                .plugin(tauri_plugin_os::init())
                .run(tauri::generate_context!())
                .expect("error while running tauri application");
        }
        ```

    3.  If you'd like to use in JavaScript then install the npm package as well:

        <CommandTabs
            npm="npm install @tauri-apps/plugin-os"
            yarn="yarn add @tauri-apps/plugin-os"
            pnpm="pnpm add @tauri-apps/plugin-os"
            bun="bun add @tauri-apps/plugin-os"
        />

    </Steps>

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Usage

With this plugin you can query multiple information from current operational system. See all available functions in the [JavaScript API](/reference/javascript/os/) or [Rust API](https://docs.rs/tauri-plugin-os/) references.

{/* TODO: Link to which language to use, frontend vs. backend guide when it's made */}

#### Example: OS Platform

`platform` returns a string describing the specific operating system in use. The value is set at compile time. Possible values are `linux`, `macos`, `ios`, `freebsd`, `dragonfly`, `netbsd`, `openbsd`, `solaris`, `android`, `windows`.

<Tabs>
<TabItem label="JavaScript">

```javascript
import { platform } from '@tauri-apps/plugin-os';
// when using `"withGlobalTauri": true`, you may use
// const { platform } = window.__TAURI__.os;

const currentPlatform = await platform();
console.log(currentPlatform);
// Prints "windows" to the console
```

</TabItem>
<TabItem label="Rust">

```rust
let platform = tauri_plugin_os::platform();
println!("Platform: {}", platform);
// Prints "windows" to the terminal
```

</TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Permissions

By default all potentially dangerous plugin commands and scopes are blocked and cannot be accessed. You must modify the permissions in your `capabilities` configuration to enable these.

See the [Capabilities Overview](/security/capabilities/) for more information and the [step by step guide](/learn/security/using-plugin-permissions/) to use plugin permissions.

```json title="src-tauri/capabilities/default.json" ins={4}
{
  "permissions": [
    ...,
    "os:default"
  ]
}
```

<PluginPermissions plugin={frontmatter.plugin} />
